The seven-year-old is a mix of different sub-species and considered unsuitable to be a dad.

He is currently housed with a pure-bred giraffe called Elmer, half-brother of Copenhagen’s Marius.

Jyllands is expecting a female to mate with Elmer as part of the European Association of Zoos’ breeding programme.

Zoologist
Jasper Moeh-ring said: “At the moment there is no problem. Marius is good company for Elmer and they are a wonderful attraction. But when we get a female they will fight, which could result in one of them dying.”

Zoo
chiefs say there is a high risk Marius will have to be put down as it will be hard to re-home him. Keeper Janni Poulsen said: “If we are told to euthanise Marius we will of course do that.

“He is named after the park’s old vet. We think it pretty funny that there were two giraffes in Denmark called Marius.”

Mrs
Poulsen pointed out that Danish zoos have been killing surplus animals for years and said she would not be put off by the protests against Copenhagen Zoo.

She added: “In many places abroad where they do not do this the animals live in poor conditions and are not allowed to breed either. We don’t think that’s OK.”

At least two wildlife parks, including one in Britain, had offered to take Copenhagen’s Marius, who was also deemed genetically unsuitable. But officials said the danger of inbreeding remained.

More
than 27,000 people worldwide signed a petition to save him and zoo staff received death threats after the 18-month-old animal was dissected
in front of a large crowd and fed to lions.

Jyllands Zoo said it had not yet decided whether to carry out a public dissection.